Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Mini Monkey Breads and Staff Breakfasts

So, you may know I am an educator. More specifically, a Language Arts Consultant in a K-2 building. Which means, I am a reading teacher, an interventionist, a staff resource, and data organizer/collector (Prior to this year I also got to do morning announcements and plan fun reading community activities like assemblies). It’s a pretty cool gig. I have told my children that no matter what they chose in this life, they need to love what they do. I figure the average person spends more consistent time in their work space (Pre-Covid, that is) than anywhere else. You might as well LOVE being there and what you do.

And I am just going to put this out there, educators across the world changed how they did things over a weekend. Literally. We were in person one day, and the next day we were virtual and learning platforms and transitioning how we did things ASAP. Amidst a pandemic. With grace, even when overwhelmed. We were one of the many heroes.

Well now we are considered by some to be lazy, and sitting on our couches, and not earning our pay. It’s nice how the world sways.

Yet, every educator I know is busting his/her rear end to get the job done. Whether it be hybrid, in person, asynchronous, remote, the amount of work put into making sure our learners learn is amazing. Whether we are home or in the building, it is getting done. Then add in the multitude of technology being handed out and utilized, breakfasts and lunches feeding families, emotional learning support, and just trying to be more than enough for our students in a time where yes, we are all doing our best to navigate everything from grocery shopping to Facebook posts.

Add in racial injustice of epic proportions and the political landscape that is USA at this point. If our point of view as educators hasn’t been touched and transformed yet…we need to do better.

For one small and quick second I want to talk about what it really looks like in some schools, including my own, right now. I preface this by saying I honestly feel like I work in one of the best districts. Our BOE and Union work together to keep us as safe as possible. I consider myself fortunate.

We are masked. We follow arrows on the hallway floor and we stay socially distanced. This means desks, supplies, everything. We are sanitizing and hand washing and minimizing contact. Breakfasts and lunches are served in classrooms. Recess and mask breaks happen outside, and we follow the rules. While still managing to keep our kiddos engaged and looking forward to a time when things will look differently. (I am done using the word “normal” when it comes to returning back to life. I don’t think we had “normal”).

As a specialist, if I get to be me (we sub a lot at this point), I am isolated in a sense that I am not mingling with staff daily except electronically. I am in the building, but I am not always seen in the building. Which I tell myself is fine, but it isn’t. I understand and fully believe in doing everything to keep everyone safe. I do my job. Like everyone else.

So when I go through the back log of blog posts I haven’t written yet and stumble across these photos, my heart breaks a little. Because, these Monkey Bread Muffins are a Friday Staff Breakfast staple. And they are not being made at all this year.

When I was newly married and a minister’s wife, an old pastor who attended our church during his retirement had a great saying, “If you feed them, they will come.”

This is true in just about everything. School activities. Church activities. Life activities. And our building does Friday Morning Breakfast like nobody’s business. I make a sign up sheet and you can count on one team or another (we do groups of four or five) providing a spread of sweet and savory. Everyone comes to the table. If you have bus duty you get in and out. If you don’t, you pull up a chair. You sit with colleagues who have a different lunch wave than you. You catch up with the faces you don’t normally see. It’s a great way to end the week, and let me tell you, it is a community builder.

In my emails to staff (and they are all signed from BREAKFAST BOSSY PANTS) I have one rule regarding sign ups (and if you don’t and show up to eat I know who you are) IF YOU FILL YOUR PLATE, PARTICIPATE. Somehow, most of the staff who eat, do.

And honestly at this point, 100 days into the school year, I think any of us would not complain about the “takers” just to have a breakfast around the table on a Friday morning.

That’s the gift of this year. We have seen what we need to change, toss, and what we need to keep going forward.

I vote for staff breakfasts once it is safe to return to this type of activity. That’s for darn sure.

If you love the idea of Monkey Bread but don’t necessarily like to commit to the messiness of pulling pieces off the bigger unit, and let’s face it these are the days where individualized anything is better, you need to try these mini versions.

You melt your brown sugar and butter until caramel-like, and fill your muffin tins, then add the pre-coated with cinnamon and sugar biscuit pieces. Bake until golden and bubbly and slightly crispy. Top with cream cheese glaze/frosting of your choice. I usually whip cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, and milk to desired consistency. These are super easy and there are never left overs. As in, never.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and as always, thank you for coming to the table. To my Big Cats, Friday breakfasts aren’t forever gone, just postponed for now. 🙂

Chrissy

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Mini Monkey Breads and Staff Breakfasts

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  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale

3 Cans of Refrigerator Biscuits (I have used Pillsbury and Generic and both work)

½ Cup Butter, melted

½ Cup Brown Sugar

½ Cup White Sugar

2 ½ Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon (you can add more to taste)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350*

Spray two dozen muffin cups with nonstick spray.

In a skillet, mix melted butter and brown sugar and cook until bubbly and slightly caramel like.

Spoon 1 Tablespoon of mixture in the bottom of each muffin tin.

Place cinnamon and white sugar in a large Ziploc bag.

Cut up biscuits into fourths. Put the biscuits in the bag and shake to coat (I do this in small batches).

Place approximately 8 pieces in each muffin tin, or until full.

Bake in oven at 350* for 12-14 minutes, until browned and caramel is bubbly.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 1-2 minutes.

Turn upside down or scoop muffins out.

 

Top with cream cheese frosting, glaze, or eat as is! So yummy.

 

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A Love Letter to My Daughter and Her Friends, and Peanut Butter Heart Cookies

Dear Every Girl My Daughter’s Age, including her Friends and Herself:

I feel like there are some things you need to hear and I mean HEAR. Like, in your soul and REMEMBER. Because, this world is crazy, and sometimes ugly. It shoves images and expectations at you, and even though it is a new age and there are so many more opportunities and glass ceilings are shattering…there is still some rampant crappola the world is sending your way.

  1. You are perfection. You aren’t perfect and that is OK. No one is. But you, and all you are, is exactly who and what you were supposed to be. Glorious and resplendent in all of your ways. Every smile, every laugh, every brilliant thing that comes out of your mouth (and even the not so brilliant things) make you you. And wow, is the world lucky to have you.
  2. You may not love your body. But start now. She’s been with you so far, and if you realize it early enough, she is your champion. She will get you to places and do things you haven’t thought of yet. Your body, whatever size, whatever shape, is perfection. Don’t let it define where you belong in this world. You belong. Period. Please don’t waste one more second listening to a culture that wants you hating on yourself. It’s a tragedy.
  3. Your mind is amazing. You are SMART. Your opinions matter. Your thoughts matter. Your creative ideas matter. Your decisions matter. For those of you who think bigger than the space your body takes up, keep being bigger. If they are worthy of you, they will get you and love it about you.
  4. Your heart is bigger and stronger than you imagine. You may have navigated the hard things already. You may not have had any bumps in the road. Life will teach you lessons and one of them, amazingly enough, is that YOUR HEART IS STRONGER than you know. It will survive. You will survive. You will be better for it.
  5. And lastly, no Mom on this earth, whether it be your biological one or adopted one or grafted in one or decided one along the way would ever, ever want you to settle. In any capacity. Do not sell yourself short. Do not accept a “less than” when you are worthy of so much more. You deserve to be successful, loved, and cherished in every capacity. Especially by yourself.

This is my abbreviated and not all inclusive Valentine’s wish for you, but for today, it will have to do.

All the love my heart can hold,

Chrissy (Mom)

(OK, and then there are these cookies. Which are little peanut butter puffs which then have a chocolate candy smooshed in when done baking. 🙂 Listen, every blog can’t be emotional, and every blog can’t be about the recipe. I recommend this cookie if you have a peanut butter lover in your life. Because they are amazing.)

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Peanut Butter Heart Cookies

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This recipe is originally from www.sallysbakingaddiction.com This recipe makes a light, pillowy soft dough that gets refrigerated for up to a day, and then topped with a chocolate heart of your choice. I used two different types of candies for this, a solid chocolate heart, and a peanut butter filled heart. It is hard to tell which were enjoyed more, because they both disappeared rather quickly! This recipe yields 2 dozen cookies.

  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

·       1 stick (½ cup) Butter (room temperature)

·       1 Large Egg

·       ¾ Cup Peanut Butter

·       1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

·       ½ Cup White Sugar

·       ½ Cup Packed Dark Brown Sugar

·       ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda

·       ¼ Teaspoon Salt

·       1 ¼ Cups Flour

·       Chocolate Heart Candies (Dove, Lindt, Reese’s all work)

Instructions

1.     In a bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda together.

2.     Using a mixer with a paddle attachment beat butter until fluffy. Add sugars and cream together until smooth.

3.     Add in peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Combine until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

4.     Add the combined dry ingredients to the wet ingredients slowly on a lower speed. 

5.     Roll out dough into balls using a cookie scoop or tablespoon measure and chill. OR Chill dough as a whole for at least half an hour up to a day. The longer you chill, you may need to let the dough sit for a little bit before rolling out into balls. *this is why I roll them before I chill them

6.     Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

7.     Place dough balls evenly spaced on cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.

8.     Allow cookies to cook for a few minutes, then press chocolate candy into each cookie.

9.     Allow cookies to cool completely, unless the idea of a melty chocolate heart is your thing (it’s my thing).

 

10.  Cookies stay fresh in an air-tight container for up to a week. They won’t last that long. 😉

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Cream Cheese Sprinkle Valentine Cookies

As I sit here writing with a very tired puppy at my feet, in the stillness that is a Friday evening, Valentine’s Day is around the corner. In many of the podcasts I listen to, the idea of being single during the “Pandemmy” (because seriously if we can’t give this thing a cute nickname…what is our mental health status…wait, what?) is perfectly acceptable.

I know there are those couples out there who rocked out quarantine and are stronger than ever. And, go you. That’s amazing.

And there are those of us who had some good old fashioned time to look inward as well as outward and say, yeah, let’s face some hard facts.

Let’s use this quiet time to look at some of the stuff. The stuff we stay busy to avoid.

Which leads to uncomfortable questions, quiet reflections, and harder decisions. Which results in being solo for celebration of all couples everywhere.

But, that being said, I think even those of us who are celebrating sans-valentine deserve something beautiful and sweet on the sweetest day. What says cute like a cookie covered in sprinkles? Am I right? I read somewhere, “Hey these feelings aren’t going to eat themselves.” I jest.

The original posting for these cookies is from Sally’s Baking Addiction. These cookies are light and fluffy, they almost melt in your mouth, with the sweet and tang of a cream cheese base, vanilla and almond extracts, and the crystal crunch of the sanding sugar coating. Now, you don’t need to roll them in sugar. They are sweet without it. But it’s Valentine’s Day. Let’s paint with all the colors of the wind here.

Mix the dough, roll and chill. Then while the oven is preheating, roll them in decorative sugar (I found the three pack of two pinks and purple at my local craft store in the baking aisle) and press slightly with a glass to flatten.

When the cookies are freshly baked and cooling, press a heart shaped chocolate in the middle and voila! Perfection. I used Dove dark chocolate hearts, but with the ingenuity of the candy makers of the world, you could really mix it up. These cookies would actually be perfect for any occasion, provided you find the right sprinkle colors for the event. (Red and Green, Blue and Silver, Yellow and Pink, like I said, colors of the wind).

I think that the gift of quiet/alone time is the ability to check out your life and determine if it is the one you want to be living. We build it, daily. We create it, and design it, and chose to live where and how we live, if we are lucky. I am so thankful that even though things aren’t perfect…and my life looks differently than it did a year ago, I still wake up me.

Maybe the best part of Valentine’s Day is the part where we realize that we are surrounded by people who love us. The family we are born into, the family we create, the family we choose, the people who hold us up along the way. People who see our light and honor it. Encourage it, and help it grow.

Those are the love lights we cling to.

Those are the people who get the cookies. 🙂

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table.

Love,

Chrissy

Click Below for Full Recipe

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Cream Cheese Sprinkle Valentine Cookies

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The original recipe for these cookies is from Sally’s Baking Addiction. I bake at a lower temperature, but otherwise I followed her directions and recipe. This recipe yields approximately 3 dozen cookies.

  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 Cup Butter (2 Sticks)
  • 2 Ounces Cream Cheese (block)
  • 1 Cup White Sugar
  • 1 Large room temperature Egg
  • 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Teaspoon Almond Extract
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 3 Cups Flour
  • Various sanding sugars/sprinkles
  • Approx 36 chocolate heart candies

Instructions

  1. Combine flour, baking powder, salt together in a separate bowl and set aside.
  2. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, combine butter and cream cheese on high speed until combined and smooth.
  3. Add sugar and beat until combined.
  4. Add in egg, extracts, and beat on higher speed until all incorporated.
  5. Scrape down sides of bowl, and slowly add dry ingredients at a lower speed.
  6. Chill dough (at this point I scoop and roll dough between my hands and chill- making the next step easier but you can chill the entire dough and scoop dough out afterwards) for at least one hour.
  7. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare cookie sheets with either parchment or silicone baking sheets.
  8. Roll cookie dough balls in sanding sugar or sprinkles of your choice.
  9. Place cookies approximately 2″ apart on cookie sheets.
  10. Using a glass or measuring cup, press down slightly on dough balls to flatten.
  11. Bake cookies for approximately 12-15 minutes depending on your oven. 
  12. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes.
  13. Press unwrapped chocolate heart candy into the middle of each cookie.

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Siblings and Skillet Cookies

skillet cookie

True story, my brother is one of the funniest and tender hearted people I know. As kids, we used to fight a lot. We were your average born in the 70’s, four-square and kickball in the neighborhood, come home when the street lights turned on kids. We rode our bikes and got lost in the woods. We fought over who would sit in the front seat, who’s feet got to rest on the bar under the table, and lord only knows what else. But mostly, even when we were arguing, we were laughing.

He was organized, I was not. He was the math brain, I wrote stories. He loved video games, I didn’t. We were different, for sure. But family is like that. I see it in my own two children- their similarities and differences, and the way they laugh and look out for each other amongst those things.

I will say this, when I had my wisdom teeth removed, he held half of the ice pack for me in the car ride home. (Thankful we didn’t have cell phones or for sure he would have recorded me).

When my children lost their father, he jumped on a plane to meet us. For the rest of my life I will remember the sense of relief when he walked into that funeral home. One spot of lightness amidst chaos.

He’s that kind of man.

The gift of being older is instead of seeing your differences, you see the similarities and honor the wonderful things you find in your siblings the longer you share this life’s journey.

Now we exchange parenting stories. We both enjoy leadership roles, and have puppies, and even give each other a heads-up and great podcasts or books we’ve listened to and read. I trust him implicitly with the stuff I share. And we both have a Momma we love and joke with. There are moments when I am down and I will call or FaceTime my brother just because I know I will feel better when I hang up. There is a fellowship in sibling hood that is singular in nature.

So, when on one of the many social media platforms on which we follow each other my brother sends a picture of a larger than life skillet cookie, I ask for the recipe. When he sends it to me from Tiktok, I slowly rewatch so I can catch all of the ingredients because, hey we are in the middle of the longest, loneliest winter in the middle of the pandemic, and sometimes, the concept of a skillet cookie is magical.

Who am I kidding, when is a skillet cookie NOT magical?

This is a one-bowl cookie dough you press into a skillet and bake. It is beautifully crispy on the edges and soft and tender in the middle. I, of course changed stuff up and added extra things because I am me. I did not add walnuts (even though that addition would have been amazing) because my children do not like walnuts in dessert. I did add butterscotch chips because they add a little extra something that was delicious, but not necessary. You can mix up the add ins because there are no rules to this cookie except you eat it warm (it is just as good fully cooled but I recommend heating it up a bit first). I also suggest a good quality ice cream. listen, if we are going there, let’s go big.

I think, if the last year has taught us anything, it is the importance of loved ones and spending time with them. We are fortunate to live in a time where technology makes seeing someone half way across the country in a heartbeat possible. Where we can see the funny faces that go with the sarcasm. Where we can check in to see how someone is and laugh as well. If we can share a recipe along the way, aren’t we blessed?

As always, I hope you enjoy this recipe, and thank you for coming to the table.

Chrissy

(Click on link below for full recipe)

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Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Skillet Cookie

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This one bowl mix cookie dough is easy to make and so delicious. You need to get a bowl and scoop of ice cream ready! you are going to want to eat this when it has sightly cooled, but still warm.

  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale
  • 16 Tablespoons of butter (2 sticks)
  • 1 1/2 Cup packed Brown Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup White Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Egg Yolk
  • 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 2 1/4 Cups Flour
  • 2 Cups Chocolate Chips or Chunks
  • Additional add ins:
    • Chopped Walnuts or Pecans
    • White Chocolate Chips
    • Butterscotch Chips (Which I used in my recipe – 1-2 Cups)

Instructions

  1. In the skillet you plan to cook the cookie in, melt two sticks of butter. You can continue to cook until the butter is browned to add another layer of flavor. Set aside to cool.
  2. While butter is cooling add sugars to a bowl, then add melted cool butter to sugars and mix.
  3. Combine with vanilla extract, egg and egg yolk, and dry ingredients.
  4. Stir in chocolate chips, additional add ins (I added 1 -1 1/2 cups of Butterscotch chips)
  5. Preheat oven to 350*
  6. Press combined cookie dough into pan.
  7. Bake in 350* oven for 15 Minutes (If you think it is too doughy you can cook additionally but it should be slightly doughy in the center.

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Cinnamon Swirl Bread

I must confess, I am the only American who did not embrace a sourdough starter during this pandemic. Don’t get me wrong, I can and do make my own kombucha, I am all about sourcing local ingredients and making things from scratch. (I learned this from my ex, before I met the father of my children, I had never made a cake that didn’t come from a box.) However, in the midst of all that has been going on in the world, I just couldn’t wrap my head around the nurturing of a starter. So, we were a non-homemade bread household…sigh. (Let’s be honest if that was the worst thing in the last nine months? there needs to be a paradigm shift).

In one of my favorite podcasts, the last question the host asks each guest is, “What is saving your life right now.” The response can be anything from something serious to something silly. My response, would be bread. Yes the scale reflects this but darn it, bread has made me happy. I have been buying artisanal bread at my grocery store. Hello toast. Hello grilled cheese. Hello pretty sandwiches for breakfast and lunch. Bread has been a beautiful part of every day. I am not sorry.

This bread, however, I did make all by myself. It did not require a starter, it made two perfect loaves (I realize I do not have proper bread pans with the exception of those disposable ones), and it was pretty simple. My kitchenmaid is showing signs of wear, so I switched over from the dough hook to hand kneading and that was therapeutic as well.

It is winter in New England, and even though we haven’t had too much snow yet, the cold has arrived for sure. So for me the idea of setting my oven to a warm temperature, making sure there is an environment where my baby bread can double in size, and slicing into a freshly baked loaf all have an allure. I am not really a fan of cinnamon raisin bread, but straight up cinnamon bread is beautiful.

Because of the timing, I also used the remainder of the bread to make my Christmas morning casserole (overnight French toast with blueberries and cream cheese). I think it was extra special this year, using my own cinnamon bread. And hey, if we didn’t need Christmas morning to be a little more special this year (for those of use who celebrate), when would we? I also believe in the sharing of baked goods, which has made this school year so weird. No Friday morning breakfasts, no cookies to bring to the lunchroom, no cinnamon rolls for PD days. I am like a wandering baker. This recipe makes two beautiful loaves, so get to baking and gift someone the other loaf. It will be good for both the receiver and the giver. I promise.

In these crazy times when we are doing our best to make the world safe and do good things, why not make cinnamon bread? You’d be surprised how comforting it is for the soul. Then, if you are like me, go take a big long walk so your clothes still fit. (Insert praying hands emoji here).

As always, I hope you enjoy this recipe, which I straight up took from Taste of Home (credit is given in the recipe link) and thank you for coming to the table.

love,

Chrissy

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Cinnamon Swirl Bread

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The original recipe for this bread is from Taste of Home. I changed the directions only in using more cinnamon in the mix. It is a simple, flavorful bread recipe with a delightful cinnamon swirl. It’s one of those recipes that will be baked again and again.

  • Author: Taste of Home

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 Packages of Active Dry Yeast 
  • 1/3 Cup Warm Water (110*)
  • 1 Cup Warm Milk (110*)
  • 1 Cup of Sugar, divided
  • 2 Large Eggs, room temperature
  • 6 Tablespoons Butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
  • 5 1/2–6 Cups of Flour
  • 4 Tablespoons Cinnamon

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water (I usually mix in a few tablespoons of sugar to bloom the yeast).
  2. Add milk, 1/2 Cup Sugar, Eggs, Butter, Salt, and 3 Cups of Flour. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough.
  3. Turn dough onto a floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic. (6-8 minutes). Place in a greased bowl, turning once to oil the surface of the dough. Cover, set to rise in a warm place until it is doubled in size (one hour).
  4. Mix Cinnamon and remaining sugar. Punch down dough and divided into two parts. Roll each portion into a rectangle measuring approximately 8 x 18 inches.
  5. Sprinkle Sugar/Cinnamon mixture within 1/2 inch of the edge. 
  6. Roll up each dough jelly roll/cinnamon roll style, starting at the short edge and pinch to seal.
  7. Place each roll of dough into a greased loaf pan, seam side down.
  8. Cover breads with damp kitchen towels and set to rise in a warm spot. (1 1/2 hours) until doubled in size.
  9. Preheat oven to 350*
  10. Bake breads until golden brown 30-35 minutes.
  11. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

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On Tenderness and Cherry Pistachio Biscotti

2020. You get it. You live on the same planet I do.

Here’s what I have learned:

That I love my people. The ones that live with me, the ones that don’t. The ones that are family by blood, and those that are family by choice.

That there are a whole lot of ugly things in the world I either didn’t think I have a voice about, or I figured I couldn’t make a difference about, that in fact, I can…and now do.

To let stuff go. Of expectations. Of anger. Of dysfunction. Of ghosts from the past. Of rules and mindsets that are bat$h!t crazy. Of people who take way more than they give. Of Facebook friends who post crap I don’t need to read.

If it doesn’t feed my soul, teach me to be better, or resonate with my heart. I am done. I have snoozed, unfollowed, deleted.

I have never been more sensitive to or reactionary to the unkindness out there. Some people really take a bad situation and make it worse. If ever there was a time to stop the judgement and harshness, it’s now. If ever there was a time we needed more kindness and open minded-ness, get out of our own way ness, humble yourself-ness, for sure it is now.

And we are in the midst of Advent. A time where waiting and hope abounds. I was raised Episcopalian, and found my way back there after a rollercoaster ride of another lifetime. And while I currently do church via podcasts (Lutheran), the anticipation of Advent is real in my heart this year more so than in the past.

Because, if we have not hope…what’s the point.

I have not baked much, I have not written much. I have loved much. I have worried much. I have cared much. I have worked outside and worked inside and even gotten a puppy. I have gotten quiet, I have listened to my heart. So, while some stuff has been total crappola this year (like most of it), I am thankful for the gift of being in a safe home with my kids and all that we are privileged to have access to, even in a scary time.

And so…here I am writing after no words would come. Maybe to put kindness out there. Or say the things I want my children to hear.

Things like, “I love you” and “I am proud of you.” Or even, “It’s ok if we don’t have the answer to that right this minute.” Or, “It’s OK for you to be kind to yourself.”

It seems so many things lately are completed with a lot more grace. For others. For myself. Because, life is short, and tender. We should handle it as such.

My son asked me if it was Biscotti Season, meaning, “are you going to make only biscotti now that you are finally baking again?” and I responded, “I don’t know.” Because, in a day to day life filled with Teams Meetings and online Reading Intervention, remote data collection, and the remainder of life stuff that still needs to be done in the midst of a pandemic, I kind of wing the margin stuff. And find, that this method is ok. So maybe I will bake more biscotti. Maybe not.

This biscotti is a combination of my research and my own recipe. I added orange zest where I didn’t find it. I of course added more pistachios and more cherries (because it’s me). I added Vanilla and Almond extract because I happen to love Almond extract and they are my cookies.

I think they almost look christmasy with the green and red. Which is timely.

In this season of anticipation, I send you all light and hope.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table.

Love,

Chrissy

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Cherry Pistachio Biscotti

Close up of a cherry pistachio biscotti on a wooden cutting board.
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This cherry pistachio biscotti incorporates the sweet tartness of dried cherries with the nutty crunch of pistachios. Almond extract and orange zest round out the flavors. Get your warm beverage ready, it’s biscotti time.

  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale

1 Cup Butter

1 1/2 Cup White Sugar

4 Large Eggs

1 Tablespoon Almond Extract

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

4 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1 Cup Dried Cherries (I used tart), chopped

1 Cup Pistachios, chopped

4 1/2 – 5 Cups Flour

Zest on one Orange

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325* and prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper or silpat.

2. In a mixer with a paddle, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

3. Add eggs, and extracts to combine.

4. Add salt, baking powder, flour, and orange zest.

5. Fold in cherries and pistachios (you may need to incorporate by hand).

6. Separate dough into three sections, and form each into a rectangular loaf shape.

7. Bake for 35 minutes or until springy to the touch. 

8. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 300*

9. Slice loaves into 1 inch pieces. Place cookies on their side and return to oven for an additional 25 minutes.

10. Allow to cool and either leave plain or dip in white chocolate. Cookies will keep in an airtight container for a week. 

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Angel Food Cake and Macerated Strawberries with Vanilla Bourbon and Brown Sugar

Fresh Picked Strawberries

Father’s Day in our house is weird, as the both my Dad and my children’s Dad are no longer with us. We are in this mode for a few years now so the sting isn’t as strong but it is for sure not the big family get together so many people we know celebrate. Add to it Covid and sheltering at home. Add to it the world being angry and unfolding. Things just look really really different this year.

I have been pondering the many father figures throughout my life and those who have impacted my children’s lives. It’s the everyday things that have touched my heart as a mom that I’ve centered on. Like the one time when things were rougher , a family friend ventured way out onto the sand bars with my son to talk and just see how far out they could go. Or the one who volunteered every year to bring my daughter to the Father/Daughter dance. The coaches and teachers who have stepped up to practice or check in, the friends who have given advice or just asked the questions. It is a reminder that in a time of isolation, we are not and have never been alone.

So many reasons to grieve on Father’s Day for some. For those who never knew their Dad, or for those who did and it was a disappointment. For those who were lucky to have a wonderful father taken away too soon, or those who have a Dad with them now but wait while sickness is a slowly fought battle. It’s this life, this beautiful heart breaking life, that makes us or destroys us, and kind of transcends all of the other things. We all have fathers. We all come from some family story.

My Dad was not a berry picker. He was however, a fan of strawberry shortcake. I have never really chosen this as my ideal dessert, it’s a dry biscuit to juicy berry and whipped cream thing. I haven’t loved it. However, my brain got to thinking…could we make this better?

This year I wondered if there would be berry picking, so many things are slowly opening up and when they do…it all looks different. I understand the reasons and I am a mask wearer social distance pro, soap and sanitizer freak. But berry picking, if at all possible, is a go out in the field isolated event. So when I heard my local farm was allowing you pick, I was there. Early. With the rest of the weirdos who like that thing. It was glorious.

I was listening to the people around me. The older women speaking in another language. The two friends talking about their grown children, families with little ones shouting “I found the perfect strawberry!” It was wonderful. Now, I understand that to MANY the idea of kneeling in the hay picking berries in the early morning sun may seem like a horrible task…but for me, I’m pretty happy in that scene. I’ve embraced it. Even flying solo, there is a peaceful rhythm to it all.

A flat of berries and two batches of freezer jam later, I still had berries. So, shortcake it is.

Only…

What if I took an angel food cake recipe and then made the berries darker and boozier?

Angel food cake is easy to make. It’s egg whites whipped until stiff peaks form and then sifted dry ingredients are folded in. The mixer does most of the work. For a Schitt’s Creek fan, the phrase “fold in the cheese” comes to mind. You gently fold in flour and sugar that’s been sifted several times to be light and fluffy and bake.

The berries are simply mixed with brown sugar and bourbon and left alone. When you are ready, slice the cake, spoon the berry mixture on top, and if you like whipped cream, add it. I would like to say I made homemade whipped cream for this. I did not. Hey, I made the cake. I also like mine without. But if I did make the whipped cream, I would be adding maybe a little of the same bourbon to that, because I can.

My Dad loved Angel Food Cake. We haven’t had it since before he passed, and it was a treat to spend Father’s Day thinking of him, using his mixer, and assembling something I think he would have enjoyed.

We don’t get to chose our Dads. If we are lucky, we get a good one. If we aren’t, we get to decide what we do with the hurt that comes along with it. We get to decide how we raise our children, whether it be similarly or vastly different. We get to choose the next part of our story. We get to map out the next steps, even if we don’t see the whole path ahead.

Friends, I wish you light and love today. For those who have been hurting and broken, I feel you. I have been more humbled and fragmented lately than ever, but the best way. The kind where you realize all the stuff you didn’t know and work on doing the right thing. The place where you unearth the junk and figure it out. Which is hard stuff. But, if we are going to be home with our thoughts for say months on end, we might as well do the hard work, right?

So get to cracking those eggs and separating out the whites. Put your mixer on, sift and fold. And then, slice a big piece of heaven and cover it with sweet berries. It’s a beautiful thing. It really is. And if for some reason you decide to eat leftovers fro breakfast, that’s totally okay too. Fruit, egg whites…it’s all good.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table.

Love, Chrissy

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Angel Food Cake and Macerated Strawberries with Vanilla Bourbon and Brown Sugar

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Light, spongy cake covered in a sweet bourbon strawberry sauce.

  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale

Mascerated Strawberries:

  • 2–3 Cups of sliced fresh Strawberries (more if you want more)
  • 1/3 Cup to 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar (depending on how sweet you want them)
  • 1/4 Cup Vanilla Bourbon (again, you can adjust this to taste)

Angel Food Cake

  • 1 1/2 Cups Egg Whites (approximately 9 Large Eggs)
  • 1 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
  • 1 Teaspoon Almond Extract (this can also be 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla, 1/2 Teaspoon Almond, or 1 Teaspoon Vanilla)
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 1/4 Cups Flour (I used regular, you can also use Cake Flour – you are sifting either way)
  • 1 3/4 Cups White Granulated Sugar 

 

Instructions

  1. Prepare a Tube Pan with spray and flour and set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 325*
  3. Separate Egg Whites and with a mixer, beat until stiff peaks form. 
  4. Add Cream of Tartar, and extract. Beat until combined.
  5. Sift Flour, Sugar, and Salt several times to combine and make lighter. (I did this approximately five times)
  6. Gently fold dry ingredients into egg white mixture. 
  7. Pour cake mixture into tube pan and place in the oven.
  8. Bake for approx. 45 – 50 minutes. 

Berries:

 1. Slice berries and combine with bourbon and brown sugar. (I used a vanilla bourbon but that’s what I had on hand).

2. Mix thoroughly and set aside in the refrigerator to allow flavors to blend until ready to eat. I am a firm believer that you can add more or less of any of these ingredients to taste.

Notes

I have seen recipes where you can place the cake pan in the cold oven and bake at 325* for 60 minutes. 

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Dark Chocolate Bourbon Sugar Cookies

I had a friend say to me a few weeks ago, “I am just so happy to see you are writing again.” Which, really warmed my heart. I carried that sunshine around for days, weeks actually. All during which, I did not write one more word.

Here’s what I have learned in the last two months of being home, only traveling for essentials, and basically being a rule follower. People sure do have a lot to say. Social media, bloggers, podcasters, news reporters, friends on the Facebook. Every person seems to have something to share. Right, wrong, insane, liberal, conservative. It’s a lot. I think in the last two months I have let go of some things I probably should have a long time ago. I have stopped following certain people on social media. I have evolved my opinions of some people in both the positive and negative as a result of words and actions or lack thereof. The learning curve has been steep.

That being said, I think to stop and write means to stop and make sense of the words in my head, and to put something out there that people who are already reading a lot want to and can read.

So reader, here we go. I will not offer you numbers or graphs or charts or rules. I will say that having lost one parent I will darned well do whatever I need to do to keep my living parent here as long as I can. I will say I had the gift of being with my Dad when he left this earth. A gift that I know too many people, people I know personally, did not get.

So, where does the writer find the words to fix this? I don’t. I just know that to not write means I am one less voice of hope out there. And we need hope. Well, some of us need toilet paper, and hope.

Friends, it’s time to bust out the boozy cookies. I will say it, I am not a big drinker. (Total transparency, I did join a wine club a month ago). But make a dark chocolate bourbon cookie and roll it in bourbon sugar? Sign. Me. Up. Sorry kids, these cookies are for the grown ups. They don’t taste heavily with alcohol, but they definitely have a rich and fantastic flavor. The original recipe for these cookies is from LoveandOliveOil.com. The original recipe calls for shaved chocolate in the cookie and dutch processed cocoa. I use dark cocoa and left out the chocolate shavings. I didn’t feel like I was missing out AT ALL. I also tried it with throwing in some semisweet morsels. Equally as amazing. A really neat tip in the original recipe is to store the cookies on top of any remaining bourbon sugar, which kept the cookies moist and fresh for a little longer.

What is bourbon sugar you ask? It is turbinado sugar and bourbon shaken together. Yes please. I am a fan of the big crunchy sugar crystals on top of muffins. Big crunchy sugar on a cookie? I’m in. You combine the sugar and the bourbon and it makes you wish the sandy beaches tasted this good. Another fun thing is post rolling the dough in the sugar, you can use a glass to flatten out the cookies to just the right thickness.

Friends, I wish I had answers. Answers to how this will all look or when this will all end. What the new normal will be. As an educator I wonder, what new changes in addition to the ones already made will take place? What about the students without access for a million reasons to an online format education? So many things. I guess, the thing I am learning in all of this, is gentleness. Being gentle with others, and all the more difficult, with myself. Trying to use this time to fix the things. So many things.

Gentleness, and grace. Time for kindness.

All of this, and chockey cookies with crunchy bourbon sugar.

Sending you so much love and light in this uncertain time. Thank you for sitting with me for a bit and for sharing your reading of the words with me. I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table.

Love, Chrissy

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Dark Chocolate Bourbon Sugar Cookies

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This soft cookie rolled in turbinado sugar from the www.loveandoliveoil.com website is slightly modified (I use a dark cocoa powder but essentially it is the orginal masterpiece recipe).I can’t even begin to describe the combination of soft bourbon infused cookie dough and the crunch of the bourbon sugar on the outside except to say yes please. 

  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

·      ½ Cup Butter

·      ½ Cup Vegetable Shortening

·      1 Cup White Sugar

·      ¾ Cup Brown Sugar

·      1 Large Egg plus 1 Large Egg Yolk

·      3 Tablespoons Bourbon

·      ¾ Cup Dark Cocoa Powder

·      1 ¾ Cup Flour

·      ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda

·      ¼ Teaspoon Baking Powder

·      ½ Teaspoon Salt

 

For Rolling:

 

·      2 Tablespoons Bourbon

·      1 Cup Raw Turbinado Sugar

Instructions

1.     In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2.     In a mixer, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar until creamy.

3.     Add brown and white sugar until light and fluffy.

4.     Add egg and egg yolk and mix until incorporated; scrape down the sides of the bowl and beater as necessary. 

5.     Slowly mix in bourbon.

6.     Add dry ingredients in two parts until incorporated. Mix in finely chopped chocolate.

7.     Combine and scoop/roll into balls. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

8.     In a mason jar or other container, combine turbinado sugar and bourbon. Top with lid and shake until it resembles wet sand. Pour into shallow dish.

9.     Roll balls of dough into bourbon sugar until evenly coated. 

10.  Arrange dough on parchment lined pan approximately two inches apart.

11.  Bake at 325* for 13 – 15 minutes or until slightly puffy. 

12.  Let cool on cookie pan for ten minutes then transfer and cool completely.

 

13.  If there is extra bourbon sugar in the bottom of an airtight storage container; arrange cookies and cover.

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When Life Gives You Stale Bread…Make Bread Pudding ;)

I’ll say this…we are using what we have, and I am loving it. My children aren’t big fans of leftovers. Yet, here we are eating them. This momma made a fresh loaf of bread because, bread is life and therapy for me. I took the uneaten bread, cubed it up, along with the rest of the borderline-toss-bread and made this little treasure. You too can make this magic with whatever you have on hand.

Bread pudding is the ultimate comfort food. It is warm, and sweet. It has crunchy parts (my favorite) and the soft parts (my daughter’s favorite). This one is literally a hodgepodge of the stuff I had to use in my pantry. No complaints friends, no complaints.

The basics in the recipe are: old bread, eggs, milk, sugar. I used part 2% milk and part almond milk, because it is what I had. You can alter the recipe to suit your supplies. I also added Vanilla Bourbon because, why not add booze to your bread pudding? I threw in chocolate chunks because I always have some sort of bagged chocolate in my baking stash. I sprinkled straight brown sugar on top, without nuts or anything else mixed in. Think little rivers of melty brown sugar puddled in the mix. But, if you have walnuts or pecans on hand, add away. You can even melt some butter and add that to the topping, if you want. There is nothing spectacular in making bread pudding, and yet…it is glorious.

You could share your stale bread with the critters outside… or you could take a few minutes and make this dessert. Which, by the way, could also be considered a breakfast of sorts…think French toast casserole.

Cube up your older bread and leave to get stale overnight. Butter a casserole pan of choice. Mix together eggs, milk, bourbon, vanilla extract, sugar. Add your goodies, chocolate chunks, pecans, raisins (never in my world but you do you), what have you. Sprinkle a topping on top if you want. Then bake. It is that simple.

I find that depending on the size dish you use to bake, you may have to cook a little longer. I do not like the idea of raw egg mix hanging out in the middle of my bread pudding. I bake it for additional 5-7 minute increments based on how it looks. It should not be runny, it should not look done. The edges should be golden and it will smell like deliciousness.

I will say that in this time of being home the salty has called out to me, the sweet has not. I also just haven’t wanted to bake. One, I am taking this meal-by-meal. Two, I can’t have an abundance of sweets in this house to be divided by three people, two of whom are new to leftovers. That said, when I did pull this out of the oven the kids emerged from their spaces and we all had a dish, warm from the oven. It was lovely.

Right now life is imperfect and different. We are making some things up as we go. And there are soft bits and crunchy bits. We mix and match and do the best we can. So hey, why not give that crusty bread a second chance to be something warm and delicious? You won’t regret it. I promise.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always…thank you for coming to the table.

Love, Chrissy

Click below for a printable recipe.

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When Life Gives You Stale Bread…Make Bread Pudding 😉

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This is a throw together, left over, waste-not-want-not dessert that is making the best of this time of COVID-19. There is no wrong path here…

  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale
  • 5 Large Beaten Eggs
  • 1 Cup White Sugar
  • 1 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 Cup Milk
  • 1 Cup Almond Milk
  • 3 Cups Cubed Stale Bread
  • 1 Bag of Chocolate Chunks/Chips (or whatever you want to throw in)
  • Butter to coat inside of casserole paper
  • Additional Brown sugar to top

Instructions

  1. Cube bread and leave out to get stale overnight.
  2. Preheat oven to 350* and lightly butter a casserole dish (I used an oval Corelle ware white casserole, you can use anything up to a 13×9″ baking pan).
  3. Mix together eggs, milk and vanilla in a bowl, incorporate sugars and mix thoroughly.
  4. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture and combine. Let sit for 10 minutes to soak in.
  5. Add chocolate chunks or other mix ins and put in casserole dish. (I actually poured the egg mixture over the bread in the casserole dish and let it sit…whatever is easier for you).
  6. Sprinkle additional brown sugar over the top of the saturated bread.
  7. Bake for 45 minutes minimally- check and continue to bake until it is set.

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Cadbury Mini Egg Cookies

I have a lifelong friend. She is brilliant, and beautiful, and I often say “runs the world.” I say this, because she does. Not only is she good at her job which is pretty important, she also pretty much takes care of everyone that crosses her path. She’s the one who helps families in need, is on every committee that betters our area, trains and volunteers in the community, funds people going on trips, or special camps, or even gives her not-so-old car. She’s the one who rarely takes time for herself, ever. To say I’ve known and loved her longer than I haven’t in this life is easy. She’s my person. That’s that.

And…this friend has a not-so-secret addiction. You all know mine is Cheez-its. (Straight up regular thank you. No need for fancy cheese or extra toasty). Well, this friend loves her some Cadbury Mini Eggs. They stalk her as soon as the snowmen and Christmas trees are cleared off the shelves. I am pretty sure they appear before Valentine’s Day. That purple bag calls out to her, as it should. Those little crunchy milk chocolate eggs with the coating are magical. It may even be possible that the first sighting of the Mini Eggs are photographed with some sort of Dooms Day comment and texted to said friend. Because, good friends send alerts when the caloric nemesis is present.

Needless to say when I saw a recipe for a dark chocolate mini egg cookie on Instagram…making these was inevitable. The original recipe is from @KelseytheFarmer’sDaughter, which is from her sister @JordynBakes, and adapted by me. I use dark cocoa powder and refrigerate the dough so my cookies are a little puffier. I also bake my cookies at a slightly lower temperature, as it is what I do. The cookies pictured on the original recipe are a slightly flatter and more bits and pieces from the egg category. I personally liked the idea of little cookie nests for little chockey eggs.

I love this cookie because is has layers of chocolate. There is the chewy dark chocolate cookie base. There is the milk chocolate of the mini egg, and the crunchy coating of whatever that’s made of…It gives the soft and sweet and crunch you’ve been waiting for.

If you are lucky enough to have someone you have loved since high school, through the really great moments and the really sucky moments of your life, you are really blessed. It is amazing that even though we are pretty much home at this point, between texting and FaceTime and Teams meetings, we are able to communicate with our loved ones. Even the fact that we can send sarcastic Instagram posts to one another adds another layer. How fortunate are we, that we are not without connection in a time of fear and the unknown.

Oh, just an aside…sometimes the Mini Egg cracks as it cools. This doesn’t impact the taste, in fact, it saves my lazy mouth from having to bite down through the egg to get to the cookie. And if that isn’t the epitome of lazy, I don’t know what is.

I only wish my sweet friend were here in my dining room or I were in her kitchen to share these beauties. True story, I will not be making these until we are able to spend time together and they will be dropped off at her house immediately.

To my friend who was the Nurse to my Juliet, who carted my non-licensed butt for far too long, and who literally has been my inspiration as one of the strongest women on the planet. You are my hero. XOXO.

I really hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always…thank you for coming to the table.

Love,

Chrissy

Click below for a printable recipe.

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Cadbury Mini Egg Cookies

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This dark chocolate cookie holds bits of mini eggs and packs the sweet chewy chocolatey crunch all in each bite. A perfect springtime cookie. Adapted from Kelsey the Farmer’s Daughter and Jordyn Bakes.

  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup salted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups mini eggs, chopped (save additional mini eggs as whole to decorate the top of cookies)

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of a standmixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars on high until light and fluffy. 

  2. Add in the eggs one at a time on medium speed.

  3. Add in vanilla.

  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together salt, baking soda, cocoa powder, and flour. 

  5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, about half at a time, mixing on low to try and reduce the puff of cocoa powder that always makes a mess!

  6. Mix on low until just incorporated.

  7. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

  8. Stir in the chopped mini eggs on low speed.

  9. Scoop out dough with a tablespoon and roll into balls. 
  10. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

  11. Place cookies onto the cookie sheets. Press an extra mini egg piece or two on top of each cookie dough ball if you’d like an extra pop of colour on top.

  12. Preheat oven to 325*

  13. Bake for 9-12 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

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